Ruby Kingdom

“BARRICADE THE GATES! DON’T LET A SINGLE VERMIN COME IN!”

The Kingdom of Ruby was no stranger to the likes of these creatures. They had once seen it from liches, and old wizards from their grimoires documented the likes of them. But little did they know those sorcerer’s experiments were unfinished products of their spells. Eventually, it led into chaos.

This was the real deal.

Outside the stone doors were the royal knights who had escorted the king. They filled their bodies with wind element platemails and armour harder than steel and water shields embedded with magic just to protect them from the creature’s jaws.

Clashing sounds of claws and punches reverberated throughout the grandiose castle, but the cracks from the magical shield was evident. Sooner or later, those damned ghouls would reach the noble’s lair and reproduce.

The undying monsters were just too strong. Magical and physical attacks or defensive spells worked at the monsters, but… it wasn’t enough. Even holy light dealt little to no damage. Despite losing two of their limbs, the abomination still stood proudly and devoured the royal knight cladded with mithril armour. Headless, even.

“RAGING WATER SLASH!” A magical knight cried, as he tried parrying the undead four legged humanoid creature. A stream of water formed on his hand, mimicking a sword made of liquid. Usually, this spell could cut a mighty try as if it was butter in a pan, even killing an adult within seconds upon impact. But alas, his efforts were vain as the monster charged in and felt no pain from the knight’s blade and killed him almost immediately. His severed limb flung to the side.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the dead. Despite killing the knight, the headless body stood and trod in the army’s direction. The rest of the soldiers shared the grim fate as each of their dead bodies rose and marched at the humans.

One bite was all it took to change the course of the battlefield. The other knights were not bitten and suffered from the bombarding horde of relentless bastards and became nourishment for the vermin. But the ones who had been marked by the undying creatures turned against humanity, adding to the already numerous infected forces.

“Undead” that was what the sorcerers from the Kingdom of Ruby had called them. An almost immortal enemy that gained more allies the moment they chewed on living creatures. The lich could summon them, but the lich’s undead were “summoned” units that had no capabilities of reproducing… unlike them.

There were no warnings about undead. These monsters suddenly appeared and terrorised the entire kingdom, creating more and more of them as civilians fell like dominoes. Not even a necromancer, a lich, or a shaman could conjure an undead being, and no spell was known to human kind creating such monstrosity.

The King of Ruby, King Harith Evergreen, twisted a book from the shelf and opened a secret passage leading to a room right next to the exit. He then pushed his two children away as he drew his trusted blade and pushed the button, blocking the secret passage. The king had three children. Luckily for him, the middle child, Sinclair, studied sorcery from another Kingdom. King Harith could only hope for the best, as he leered at the zombie in front of him.

“Go, now! Warn the other Kingdoms and Empires about the threat that is rising! Get your brother and move as far away as possible - far from the danger.” The king then looked at the older daughter, Aerith Evergreen. “Aerith, Kingdom Ruby is no more. Find your other sister, Princess Sinclair, and be with her too. You cannot save anyone but yourselves. I entrust you to be one of humanity's hopes. Heed the lessons I’ve passed on you… and be the kindest princess that has ever been.”

“Your mother, Queen Therese, and I, are so proud of you,” he whispered, as he coughed out crimson blood. His eyes turned cerulean. Inhuman, even. It was the same with the undead Aerith’s father had faced a while ago.

‘Was he bitten?’ Princess Aerith thought. But it was already too late.

With the two princesses was their butler, Alfred. The old, but experienced concierge sported a jet black tuxedo, with blades hidden inside his every pockets and potions to boot. He was a loyal servant of Ruby’s Kingdom, and he was a fine knight who had an outstanding resume when it came to assassinations and guarding the throne. And yet… he felt powerless when it came against the undead.

Princess Aerith’s eyes glanced at her father’s neck. He had a bite mark near his ears from an undead he had fought to protect them, answering her question. As Aerith had observed from the undead knights, it took them twenty seconds to a whole minute to be infected by the corrupted magic spell, depending where the ghouls bit. It was that quick! Despite her father’s wound, he was still sane. At least, he was trying to, for his two beloved children. But his face looked pale, and his breaths turned into gnarls.

“Father.. I…” before Aerith could even speak, Aerith’s little sister, Lilith, pulled Aerith and forced their little legs to run away from their home.

“You’re… coming with us, right father?” Lilith asked. Her voice echoed from the tunnel.

Father flashed his children a faint smile and uttered, “Yes, my children. In a short while, I will come. Follow Alfred with you.” He then looked at the old man, Alfred, and added, “Alfred, my friend, they will be in your care.”

“I shall, milord.” Alfred then grabbed my hand and nodded. “Come, Princess Aerith. The King will follow our footsteps. Leave this to the Knights. of the Ruby.”

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